Elastic wheel construction for carpet sweeper

ABSTRACT

A carpet sweeper to be moved back and forth by operating a handle is provided with a rotary cleaning brush adapted to be moved in contact with the floor by means of four supporting spoked drive wheels each integrally formed of flexible rubber and mounted on a sweeper body. The frame cover of the sweeper body is of a double-wall structure made of a thin, lightweight synthetic resin plate. The sweeper body further comprises dust receptacles covering the under portion and positioned to the front and rear of the rotary brush, means for elevating the drive wheels and comb members to clean the rotary brush. The operating members for opening or closing the dust receptacles and for elevating means are disposed on the upper surface of the frame cover.

Unite atent Fukuba States 1 Feb. 1, 1972 Hiroshi Fukuba, 2-320-82 Matsugaaka, Nagareyama City, Japan [22] Filed: Mar. 4, I97].

[21] Appl.No.: 121,012

[72] Inventor:

Related U.S. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 823,570, May 12, i969.

[52] U.S.Cl. ..l5/4l R [51] Int. Ci. ..A47l 11/32 [58] Field of Search ,.l5/4l-48, 354,

Rubin ..l5/4l R Fukuba ..l5/4l Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts Attorney-Mason, Fenwick & Lawrence [57] ABSTRACT A carpet sweeper to be moved back and forth by operating a handle is provided with a rotary cleaning brush adapted to be moved in contact with the floor by means of four supporting spoked drive wheels each integrally formed of flexible rubber and mounted on a sweeper body' The frame cover of the sweeper body is of a double-wall structure made of a thin, lightweight synthetic resin plate. The sweeper body further comprises dust receptacles covering the under portion and positioned to the front and rear of the rotary brush, means for elevating the drive wheels and comb members to clean the rotary brush. The operating members for opening or closing the dust receptacles and for elevating means are disposed on the upper surface of the frame cover.

1 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures INVENTOR Hmosm kgf SHEU 3 0F 3 BY I A. (ism W mega I ATTORNEYS PATENTEU FEB E72 ELASTIC WHEEL CONSTRUCTION FOR CARPET SWEEPER This application is a division of application Ser. No. 823,570 filed May 12,1969.

The present invention relates to a carpet sweeper, more particularly to a cordless carpet sweeper which does not require electrical power for operation.

A carpet sweeper has conventionally been proposed which is not, unlike in electric cleaners, provided with a long cord troublesome to cleaning operation and which comprises drive wheels adapted to be driven on the carpet when the sweeper is moved thereon, a rotary brush rotated by the rotation of the drive wheels and a dust receptacle to receive the dust removed from the carpet by the rotary brush. The carpet sweeper of such type is made compact so as to enable the user to operate it readily in standing position.

However, such a compact sweeper is defective in that the dust receptacle therein, being small in capacity, becomes full of dust even when used for a short period. In order to overcome this defect, a sweeper of a larger size has also been produced, but with a large-size device there are disadvantages that the machine is not only heavier and difficult to operate and to carry about for the disposal of dust but it is also difficult to provide therein a convenient means for the dust disposal.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the abovementioned disadvantages and to provide a carpet sweeper which is made lighter in weight by forming the frame cover with a thin plate of synthetic resin and which has a frame cover of a double-wall structure to prevent the rattle of the dust receptacles that is attributable to the flexibility of the frame cover made of a thin synthetic resin.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a carpet sweeper in which component members are minimized by utilizing a stay member serving to reinforce the frame cover for the provision of an operating handle and of a mechanism for elevating or lowering the drive wheels.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a carpet sweeper in which a long recessed portion is formed by cutting in the upper plate of the frame cover with along finger member to cover the recessed portion extending continuously from a sideplate of the dust receptacle so that the dust receptacle can be pivotally moved by the finger member on the frame cover for the dust disposal, the operation of dust receptacle thus being ensured.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a carpet sweeper in which a pair of brush cleaning comb members is disposed to the front and rear of the upper half portion of the rotary brush in relation with each other, one of the comb members being adapted to move into the brush while the other tends to be pushed outward due to the rotation of the brush so that dust on the brush can be removed and sent into the dust receptacles irrespective of the direction of rotation of the brush.

pet sweeper in which corner brushes are mounted in the four corners of the sweeper body for the prevention of forward or backward inclination of the body, the brushes being mounted by improved means so as to facilitate the replacement when the brushes are deformed or worn out.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a carpet sweeper which employs improved drive wheels made of rubber slightly harder and high in wear resistance than conventional wheels made of soft rubber, a number of flexible spokes having a width equal or nearly equal to that of the wheel being provided between the boss and rim of the wheel so as to prevent the wear of the drive wheels and to enhance the service life. This aims to ensure moderate and quiet movement of the sweeper during operation, to protect the carpet surface rolled on by the drive wheels and to improve the contact between the carpet surface and the rotary brush which carries out sweeping operation while being rotated between the front and rear wheels.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description with Another object of the present invention is to provide a carreference to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view showing a carpet sweeper of the present invention in its entirety;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the same with part of a fender broken away;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the main body with part of frame cover broken away, parts being omitted along the length thereof;

. FIG. 4 is a side elevation in vertical section taken along the line IVIV in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation in vertical section taken along the line V--V in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation in vertical section taken along the line VIVI in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a front view partly in vertical section taken along the line VII-VII in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view along the line VIII-VIII in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 4, the main body of the sweeper is rectangular in plan and the upper surface is formed with an arched frame cover 1. In the top center portion of the frame cover 1 there is provided a slender handle 2 by which the user in standing position can operate the main body on a carpet in reciprocating movement. The frame cover 1 is made of a lightweight, thin synthetic resin plate with bottom portion open. In the center, a rotary brush 3 is supported on outer sidewalls 7 of the frame cover 1. When the main body is reciprocated on the floor, the rotary brush 3 is rotated in accordance with the reciprocating movement as described later and at this time the dust on the floor is taken up in sweeping manner. The rotary brush 3 is driven by the rotation of four drive wheels 4 in contact with the floor which are mounted on the opposite sides in the front and rear of the body by means to be later described. That is, when the drive wheels 4 are rotated in frictional contact with the floor in accordance with forward or backward movement of the main body, a pair of drive wheels 4 in the front and rear drives a follower wheel 5 in frictional contact therewith, the follower wheel 5 being mounted on the shaft of the rotary brush 3, and accordingly the rotary brush 3 is rotated. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 7, the brush portion of the rotary brush 3 is partitioned from the drive wheels 4 and follower wheel 5 by means of an inner vertical sidewall 10 which is in parallel to the sideplate 7. As indicated in a dotted line in FIG. 4 the bottom portion of the vertical sidewall 10 is so formed as not to interfere with other members.

The opposite sidewalls 10 are connected to end walls 11 which extend from the frame cover 1 at a slightly inner position in the front and rear portion of the frame cover 1 serving as a first enclosure wall. That is to say, along inner side of the frame cover 1 serving as the first enclosure wall, the sidewalls 10 and end walls 11 made of a thin synthetic resin plate are formed into a rectangular second enclosure wall integrally with the frame cover 1. The drive wheels 4, follower wheel 5 and other members to be described later are disposed between the sidewall 7 of the frame cover 1 and the vertical sidewall 10. symmetrically disposed to the front and rear of the rotary brush 3 and located under the frame cover I are dust receptacles 17, each having a sawtoothlike bottom plate 17b so as to guide the dust toward the end and a dust guide 18 located close to the lower half portion of the rotary brush 3. The sidewalls 19a and 19b of the dust receptacles 17 are mounted on pivots 20 disposed on the respective vertical sidewalls 10 at positions slightly away from the rear and front portion of the brush 3. As shown in FIG. 6 the sidewall 19a is low in height and the other sidewall extends toward the frame cover 1 so as to be utilized as a release means to be hereinafter described. Accordingly, the dust receptacle 17 is adapted to be rotated on the pivots 20 as is seen in virtual line in FIG. 4 and the dust collected therein is discharged from an end opening 17a formed at the end opposite to the dust guide 18. In order to keep the end portions of the bottom of the dust receptacles l7 closed relative to the vertical end walls 11, the opposite ends of an inverted U-shaped wire spring 26 are engaged with both of sidewalls 18a of dust guides 18 of the receptacles 17, so that unless subjected to an external force the receptacles 17 are kept in the position shown in FIG. 6 under the action of the spring 26. Thus dust receiving compartments are formed with the upper part closed by the frame cover 1 and the end portions by the end walls 11.

To remove the dust attached to the rotary brush 3, cleaning combs 31 are provided to the front and rear of the upper half portion of the brush. As seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, the opposite ends of the combs 31 are fixed to an angle-shaped lever plate 42 pivotally mounted on a stay member 41 transversely supported at the top portion of the frame cover 1. Since the tips of the combs are kept in contact with the front and rear of the upper half portion of the brush 3 at a slightly greater angle than in tangential contact, the dust on the brush can be removed by either one of the combs 31 depending upon the direction of rotation of the brush 3. For instance, when the comb 31 on the right tends to be pushed outwardly of the brush 3 due to the rotation as shown in FIG. 6, the comb 31 on the opposite side is allowed to be brought deeper into the brush. In order to regulate the inward or outward movements of the combs relative to the brush, stoppers 43 are disposed inside the partition wall and the movement of the lever plate 42 is limited by these stoppers 43.

The stay member 41 extends through the opposite sidewalls 10 up to the opposite plates 7. In the frame cover 1 above the middle portion of the stay member 41, a recessed groove 50 is formed at a right angle with the stay member 41. To a portion of the stay member 41 which is exposed through the recessed groove 50 is linked the lower end of a handle 2 which has a plane 2a at the end portion. Due to the elastic force ofa plate spring 80 provided at the center of the groove 50, the handle 2 can be retained in upright position when it is brought to the vertical position and released from the hand.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 7 show drive wheel elevating or lowering means by which the level of the drive wheels 4 relative to the rotary brush 3 can be adjusted. Except for the operating portions, these means disposed on the opposite sides are of the same structure and therefore description will be given with respect to one of these means. A pair of front and rear drive wheels 4 is supported by legs 12 connected to the opposite ends of a supporter 60 which is made of a semihard synthetic resin and which has a pair of vertical projections 61 formed on the outer side. It will be noted in FIG. 3 that the projections 61 are fitted in grooves 62 formed in the inner surface of the sidewall 7 of the frame cover 1, the supporter 60 thus being adapted for upward or downward movement along the grooves 60. The supporter 60 is further provided with a bearing portion 63 having a hole 64 in which an eccentric ring 45 is rotatably inserted. The stay member 41 extends through the eccentric ring 45 and is fixed thereto by a key 46. As shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 7, the stay member 41 is disposed at a right angle with a recessed groove 51 formed in the upper surface of the frame cover 1 on one side. Integrally attached to the eccentric ring 45 is a lever 65 which is positioned in the groove 51 as seen in FIG. 5.

When the end of the lever 65 is caught by the finger and turned by 180 in the direction of an arrow in FIG. 5, the stay member shaft 41 and eccentric rings 45 on the opposite ends thereof are also turned. The portion 45a of the eccentric ring which has a greater radius now comes to a position lower than that of FIG. 4 with the result that the supporters 60 beside the opposite sides of the frame cover 1 are lowered by the extent of eccentricity. The hole 64 is formed in elliptical shape with side clearances so that the eccentric ring 45 may be rotated to lower the supporters 66 without shifting the supporters 60 sidewise. The leg 12 connecting the drive wheel 4 to the supporter 60 is formed with a horizontal portion 12b at its upper end. The horizontal portion 12b is forced from under into the support hole 67 through a downwardly widening narrow cutout groove 66 to fix the leg to the supporte. 60, so that the assembly or disassembly of these members can be readily carried out. The lower end of leg 12 is attached to the drive wheel 4 with the horizontal portion 12a inserted into the shaft hole and the extension of the leg end is projected into a vertical hole 13 formed in the underedge ofthe sideplate 7 as shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 4 shows the drive wheels 4 as they are in the elevated position to which they are adjusted in the foregoing manner. When the wheels are thus positioned, the sweeper is suitable for the cleaning of a carpet with short piles. However, if they are employed in sweeping a carpet with long piles, the drive wheels 4' get in among long piles of the carpet with the tips of bristles also weclging in deeply among the piles to prevent the smooth rotation of the brush 3, whereas the drive wheels 4, when brought to the lower position by operating the lever 65, enable the bristle tips to come into light contact with the surface of the carpet having long piles.

The dust collected by the rotary brush 3 in the dust receptacle 17 when the sweeper is used is taken out of the receptacle as it is turned on the pivots 20 as indicated in a broken line in FIG. 4. The operating member to turn the dust receptacle 17 is positioned on the frame cover 1 as in the case of the fore going lever 65 for elevating or lowering the drive wheels. It will be seen in FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 7 that one of the sideplates 19 of each dust receptacle 17 is extended upward along the vertical sidewall 10 which supports the sideplate on the pivot 20 and the top portion of the plate is bent outwardly along the arched upper surface of the frame cover 1 to form each of finger members 70, 71. Since the members 70 and 71 are symmetrically the same with respect to the dust receptacles 17, one of them will be described. The finger member 70 is positioned in a long, narrow recessed portion 72 formed in the upper surface ofthe frame cover 1. Further in order to expose the finger member 70 on the frame cover 1, the sideplate 19a of the dust receptacle passes through a slit 74 formed in the bottom 73 of the recessed portion. When the receptacle 17 is in normal closed position, the slit 74 receives the finger member 70 therein, but when the receptacle 17 is opened the finger member 70 is also withdrawn into the frame cover 1. The angle of rotation of the dust receptacle 17 is so restricted as to facilitate the returning of the receptacle 17 to the original closed position. A stopper 75 at one end of the recessed portion serves as a restricting member for this purpose. A portion 76 proximate to the top part of the finger member 70 which is arched in approximately the same form as the arch form of the frame cover 1 is adapted to be held in engagement with the stopper 75 which projects downwardly at the end of the recessed portion 72 as indicated in broken line in FIG. 4. It will also be seen in FIG. 4 that the bottom 73 of the recessed portion 72 is formed deeper toward the body end as indicated in broken line so as to facilitate the rotation of the finger member 70. Furthermore, to show the direction of release movement, the finger member 70 is provided with a mark 77 or some other indication on the surface.

Close to the ends of sideplates of the dust receptacles 17 and in proximity with the vertical sideplates 7 of the frame cover 1 are disposed brush supporters 78 to which downwardly directed corner brushes 79 are attached so as to support the body also by the brushes 79. Each of the corner brushes 79 is mounted on a rectangular brush base 79a with bristles implanted in the under surface. In the opposite ends of the brush base 79a, vertical grooves 7% are formed. The corner brush supporter 78 is formed with a pair of dovetail groove guides 78:: to be fitted with the opposite ends of the brush base 79a. The back end of the dovetail groove guides is reinforced by a bridge 78b and vertical protrusions 780 are formed near the entrance of the dovetail grooves. When the brush base 79a is inserted from the opening end of the dovetail groove guides 78a, the distance between the guides 78a is slightly extended by the width of the brush base 79a, whereupon the grooves 79b of the brush base 79a are brought into fitting engagement with the protrusions 78c. The brush base is now held tightly by the supporter against release therefrom unless it is force to be drawn out.

The respective brushes 79 thus mounted on the corners of the dust receptacles l7 sweep the carpet surface which is outside the sweeping range of the rotary brush 3. In addition, the brushes serve to keep the body horizontally on the floor as nearly as possible, preventing possible forward or backward inclination of the body during reciprocating movement which is attributable to the fact that the rolling wheels 4 are disposed in the center of the body. In case where a comer brush is deformed or worn out, the dust receptacle 17 which carries the corner brush is turned to a position indicated in broken line in FIG. 4 and the relevant brush base 79a is pulled out for replacement.

The rolling wheel 4 may preferably be formed, for example, with fine grooves or a rough surface in its outer circumferential surface. As shown in FIG. 7 in section and in other figures, a desired number of spokes 4a are formed around the boss 4b of the wheel 4 with a suitable distance apart from each other, the width of each spoke being such that the spoke retains flexibility. The boss portion, spokes and wheel are all integrally formed of wear-resisting rubber into the rotary wheel 4. Since the spoke is formed in plate form extending widthwise, hardly any widthwise deformation takes place, whereas it can be flexibly bent in radial direction of the wheel, so that any great force, when applied on the handle, causes the spokes 4a to bend flexibly in response to the force to effect flexible operation. In addition, due to the bending, the sweeper body is brought slightly closer to the carpet surface, with the result that the dust even in the deep part among the piles can be removed by applying a greater force on the handle intentionally.

In accordance with the present invention, the opening or closing of the dust receptacle 17 can be effected by moving the long finger member 70 exposed on the recessed portion 72 along one side of the frame cover 1 and accordingly, there is no need to turn the body upside down every time the receptacle is to be opened or closed, the dust receptacle thus being made easy to handle. Moreover, the long finger member 70 serves to reinforce the sideplate 19b to strengthen the dust receptacle in its entirety.

Along the outer periphery of the bottom of the frame cover there is provided a fender supporter 81 connected thereto by a short flange portion and covered with a fender 82 which is made of a shock absorbing material such as rubber and whose side portion is outwardly expanded. When in use, the sweeper may bump against various articles of furniture in the room, but the fender 82 around the frame cover 1 serves to absorb the shock impact. In addition, even when the bottom portion of the frame cover 1 made of a thin synthetic resin plate is subjected to instantaneous deformation such as torsion or indention upon hitting some other article, such deformation is prevented from developing beyond the bottom of the outer sidewall 7 and the vertical wall 11 is therefore kept intact. As a result, the end of the dust receptacle 17 is held in pressing contact with the lower edge of the vertical wall ll against release, and the dust collected can be retained therein.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment above, but it may be embodied in other alterations and modifications.

I claim:

1. A carpet sweeper which is provided with a rotary brush supported in the lower center portion of a frame cover with dust receptacles rotatably supported adjacent the front and rear of said rotary brush, said frame cover being adapted to be reciprocally moved on the floor by means of a handle attached to the top surface of said frame cover so that drive wheel means provided at the opposite sides of said frame cover may be driven on the floor, a follower wheel being thereby rotated in frictional contact therewith to rotate said rotary brush, said carpet sweeper including a second inner closure wall formed by sidewalls and end walls vertically extending from said frame cover and positioned at inner portions slightly spaced apart from the lower end of said frame cover, an end of each of said dust receptacles being held in pressing contact with the lower edge of said vertical end wall and wherein each of said wheel means includes a boss portion, spokes and an outer wheel portion and are integrally made of a wear-resisting semihard rubber, said spokes being radially provided between said each boss portion and outer wheel portion in a desired number and with the same thickness and adapted to be bent in radial direction but prevented from sidewise deformation. 

1. A carpet sweeper which is provided with a rotary brush supported in the lower center portion of a frame cover with dust receptacles rotatably supported adjacent the front and rear of said rotary brush, said frame cover being adapted to be reciprocally moved on the floor by means of a handle attached to the top surface of said frame cover so that drive wheel means provided at the opposite sides of said frame cover may be driven on the floor, a follower wheel being thereby rotated in frictional contact therewith to rotate said rotary brush, said carpet sweeper including a second inner closure wall formed by sidewalls and end walls vertically extending from said frame cover and positioned at inner portions slightly spaced apart from the lower end of said frame cover, an end of each of said dust receptacles being held in pressing contact with the lower edge of said vertical end wall and wherein each of said wheel means includes a boss portion, spokes and an outer wheel portion and are integrally made of a wear-resisting semihard rubber, said spokes being radially provided between said each boss portion and outer wheel portion in a desired number and with the same thickness and adapted to be bent in radial direction but prevented from sidewise deformation. 